My Genealogy Hound

ADDISON C. CUSHING, an uncle of the renowned heroic Lieutenant Cushing, one of the pioneer grape culturists of the town of Pomfret, and one of the most prominent of that town’s progressive men, is a son of Judge Zattu and Eunice (Elderkin) Cushing and was born near the site of his present home in Fredonia, May 4, 1820. His grandparents were honorable Puritans who lived in the New England States. Judge Zattu Cushing was born at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, in 1770, and was one of thirteen children born to Nathaniel and Lydia Cushing. He received but a meager education, the schools of that day being primitive and their course of study limited in extent, but his natural industry, energy, self-reliance and integrity were of more value to him than schools. At an early age he was apprenticed to a ship carpenter, and when he had mastered that trade, he followed it for some time at Boston. The work, however, was not congenial to his nature and he decided to exchange it for a farmer’s life and for the purpose moved to Ballston, Saratoga county, where he married Rachel Buckingham and then removed to Paris, Oneida county, and took up a tract of land in the forest, from which he made a farm. In 1799 he was employed to go to Presque Isle, adjacent to Erie, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of superintending the construction of a ship. When it was completed it was christened the “Good Intent” and was the first vessel of note-worthy size built on Lake Erie. She was lost with all on board in 1805. In returning from the scene of his labors, one of his horses strayed, and while attempting to secure it, night came upon him and he passed the night upon the lands where forty years later he built him a home. Having had excellent opportunities for examining the lands of that locality, he determined to locate there, and in February, 1805, he moved his family to the site where now stands the town of Fredonia. Two yoke of oxen, each drawing a sled, were the conveyances used and it took three weeks to perform the journey that may now be made in twice as many hours. At the time Mr. Cushing had eight children: Walter; Lydia, married Dr. Squire White; Milton B; Zattu; Catharine, married Philo H. Stevens; Lucinda, the widow of William Barker; Alonzo; and Rachel, who married Mr. Tupper. All are dead. When they arrived at Buffalo, they started down the Pike upon the ice, intending to camp nights on the shore, but a driving storm coming on, they were compelled to stop, and were only rescued by two men who heard their signals of distress. At daybreak the ice was broken up so that escape would then have been impossible. Upon his arrival here, he was much disappointed to find that his choice of lots was taken by Thomas McClintock and he took another, upon which he cleared fifty acres during the ensuing two years. In 1807 he sold to Mr. Marsh, father of the present occupant, and bought from Mr. McClintock, for one-hundred dollars, the farm that he originally desired. He then paid the land claim at Batavia and on November 7, 1807, received a title to about six hundred acres, a great portion of which is now covered by the village of Fredonia. About the last mentioned date he erected the log-house on Eagle street, where A. F. Taylor now lives. Zattu Cushing was eminently a pious man, a Baptist of unswerving devotion, and his first thought upon reaching here was to establish a church. In 1811, when the organization of the county was completed, Mr. Cushing was appointed the first judge and he wore the ermine until 1822. At the battle of Buffalo he served as a private and was highly indignant, feeling that with a competent commander, the result might have been different. On the fourth of July 1812, a celebration was held at Judge Cushing’s farm, he himself being the orator. Ere long the report of a cannon and the rattle of musketry showed the presence of an enemy at the mouth of the creek. Jumping from his rough rostrum, the speaker was the first at the scene of action ready for defense. In August, 1816, a great sorrow fell upon his household, the mother of his children, who had been the light of his home and shared his trials, his joys, his sorrows and his hopes, was called away. Never before in the history of the village had so large and sorrowing a funeral been known. In 1817, he married Eunice Elderkin, a native of the town of Burlington, Otsego county. In 1826, just after the Erie canal was opened for navigation, in company with Joseph Sprage, Mr. Cushing built a canal-boat. It was built on the flats at the foot of Fort hill and was named the “Fredonia Enterprise.” To draw the boat to the water required one hundred yoke of oxen, and after it was launched, they loaded it with wheat, and the steamer “Lake Superior” towed it to Buffalo. In 1823, he was foremost in establishing the Fredonia academy and until his death, was one of its most liberal supporters. January 13, 1839, after a long experience of physical suffering which he patiently endured, Judge Zattu Cushing passed peacefully away. When the battle of life was over, his peaceful triumph commenced. At the next term of court, upon the motion of Judge Wallace, the bar of this county procured his portrait to be suspended in the court-house above the bench where judges sit. Guarded with tender care, it still remains there and will for ages to come, as a proper memorial of as pure a man and upright a judge as ever dispensed justice in any tribunal. By his second marriage Judge Cushing had four more children. The only daughter, Sarah M. L., died. The oldest boys were living in the west and his daughters by his first wife were happily married and lived near him. The youngest sons, Judson E., Addison C. and Frank were at home, the pleasure of his declining years. All of them are now passed away excepting Judson and Addison C. Zattu Cushing was the grandfather of Alonzo H. Cushing, who was killed at the battle of Gettysburg, who, although twice wounded, was standing by his gun until the fatal leaden missile struck him down, and of Lieutenant Commander William B. Cushing (see his sketch), who by repeated and successful deeds of valor and patriotic devotion stands breast to breast with Paul Jones and Commodore Perry, and whose name will stand bright and fresh in the hearts of the American people as long as marble and metal hold their shape and this great Republic remains intact.

Addison Cushing was educated at the district schools of Fredonia until sixteen years of age and then entered the academy and took a three-years course. He then employed himself on his father’s farm until his marriage to Elizabeth King, which occurred April 9th, 1846, when his father’s estate was divided and he moved on a farm of his own. Agriculture has been his life-long pursuit, and in 1860 he began the cultivation of small fruits. Forming a mutual company, he erected a canning factory, which prepared the product of their orchards for the market. After running one year, this factory was destroyed by fire. Addison Cushing was one of the pioneers of grape culture and was the second man to conduct the business. He is a democrat and although the town is strongly republican, he has been re-elected president of the village oftener than any one man. Mr. Cushing has served twelve years as justice of the peace and when the Normal school was organized, he was elected one of its trustees. He is a member of the Episcopal church and since 1884 has been a warden; for nearly forty years he was a member of the vestry. Addison Cushing is exemplary in his habits and is an excellent example for young men to follow. His first wife was a daughter of General Nathaniel (and a Miss Grey) King. Mr. King was a lawyer and literateur of Hamilton, Madison county, this State. To this union were born two daughters: Margaret married J. J. Servoss, a lumberman living at Portsmouth, Va., and they one daughter; and Elizabeth K., now the wife of P. H. Cumming, a fruit raiser of Fredonia; they had two sons and two daughters. Mr. Cushing’s wife died August 25th, 1848, and on October 9th, 1849, he was united to Ellen Cumming, a daughter of Robert and Lydia Cumming. Mr. Cumming was a Scotch gentleman who went to Australia, engaged in farming and died there. To Mr. and Mrs. Cushing were born Mary, who married S. D. L. Jackson, a lawyer practicing at Youngstown, Ohio; she died in 1885; and Frank C., a merchant tailor of Fredonia. Frank C. Cushing married Jennie Glisan, May 7th, 1884, and he died September 22d, of the same year. Mrs. Addison C. Cushing died March 8th, 1884, and on June 3d, 1886, Mr. Cushing took for his third wife Esther C. Pritchard, a daughter of Daniel C. and Abigail (Godfrey) Pritchard, living in Fredonia.

Addison C. Cushing has passed the allotted three-score and ten of man, but, owing to his temperate life and good constitution, he still enjoys fine health, and it is hoped will live for many years to continue the good which has been characteristic of his life.